


Fever Dreams

by glindalovesshoes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted Forest, Have we met before?, Sick Regina, domestic outlawqueen, even an evil queen can get sick, nothing an outlaw can't heal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 01:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4858391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glindalovesshoes/pseuds/glindalovesshoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Henry called me. He wanted someone to check up on you. He's worried." "He shouldn't have," she mumbled and Robin chuckled. "Close your eyes and get some rest, my love. I've got you." He pressed a kiss to her heated forehead, wiping away the sweaty strands of hair with his thumb./ Regina is sick and Robin nurses her back to health. OutlawQueen/RegalBeliever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fever Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> So... I decided to start posting my stories here on Ao3, too. So far I have uploaded them on ffnet and tumblr but some friends told me about the awesome audience here. Well I hope you're ready for sick Regina being nursed back to health by Robin :) Thanks so much to the lovely waterbaby134 for betaing!  
> I hope you enjoy!

"Mom... mom, wake up."

Regina groaned silently. Everything was aching; her whole body felt like it had been run over by a truck. She couldn't move and actually, she didn't even want to. The former Great and Terrible Evil Queen felt horrible. It all started yesterday afternoon when she'd felt the scratching in her throat and the aching in her bones.First, she'd shoved it all off to the long day in her office and the fact the air conditioning was slightly cooler than usual. However, once she'd gotten home, giving in to Henry's request to order pizza for dinner without a second thought to whether it was wise in the middle of a school week, she knew she must be coming down with something.

At least Henry had enjoyed the special treat. In the end it had been well deserved since he told her about an especially good result in his latest Math test, a subject he still struggled with from time to time. Happy to be able to just throw the cardboard box into the waste and not have to clean up the kitchen, Regina had gone to bed early, hoping she would feel better in the morning.

Roland had been sick for most of the last week, so she was pretty sure whatever it was that had knocked the little lad out had snuck up on her, too. Perhaps she shouldn't have pampered him so much, shouldn't have let him sleep in her bed sandwiched between her and Robin, but she remembered the days when Henry had been his age and how much he'd needed to be close to her in order to get better. Robin had told her to be careful, had told her she didn't need to do this, but she'd waved him off. If her little knight was sick, she'd do anything to make him feel better - she'd raised a boy on her own and was very familiar with all sorts of colds and stomach bugs. She could handle it, she said. Robin shouldn't worry. Unfortunately, it turned out thatthe times where she'd been almost immune to every little thing Henry brought home from kindergarten or school were long over.

"Mom..." The voice in her throbbing head was muffled. Oh god. Why did she of all people have to catch this stupid cold? Why now? Could it not have hit someone else? Honestly, she didn't have time for this, she had a town to run and in all her time as the mayor of Storybrooke she could count the days she'd called in sick on two hands.

For a moment she wished she could use her magic on herself to make it all go away, to heal herself. However, Rumpelstiltskin had never really bothered to teach her healing magic. Her dark magic had been fueled by wrath and anger, focused on snapping people's necks and ripping their hearts out, not teaching her how to heal their pains. Her mother had some spells in her book, even though Regina was sure Cora never really used them. The woman hadn't even bothered to help her own daughter when she'd been heavily injured after falling off of Rocinante only two weeks after her father had gotten her the mare. Thinking back to the incident, her mother had refused to talk to her for two days, telling her it was her own fault taking a daring attempt to impress her father with her riding skills.

A defeated sigh escaped her dry throat. Perhaps she could try white magic. Ever since the day in the barn when Robin had picked up her heart, giving her the encouragement, love and strength she needed to produce white magic, she'd been experimenting with it. _Think happy thoughts_ was what Henry always told her. It wasn't particularly easy since most of her life had been consumed by hatred and anger instead of bliss and happiness, but she tried. Thinking of Henry, of Robin and Roland, of people believing in her - which was something she still sometimes had trouble to realize - made it easier to use white magic. Emma had healing abilities, too, maybe, if she tried... Oh who was she kidding? She wasn't even capable of opening her eyes at the moment, how could she conjure up the power she would need to heal herself with the kind of magic she was only starting to get familiar with?

"Mom, wake up. I'm running late for school!" What? Henry? School? Regina groaned, forcing her dry eyes open. She blinked against the light of her night lamp. It was too bright, setting off a nagging pain in her head.

"Henry?" Her voice wasn't more than a silent whisper. Was it really morning already? It felt like only minutes ago that she'd gone to bed. A quick look to her alarm clock made her realize she'd been knocked out for over ten hours straight. Henry was really running late for school. Regina wondered how she slept through her alarm - she'd always been a light sleeper, waking up at every noise and almost every movement in her bed. Her boy had to get to school; she had to drive him... She tried to sit up, but Henry soothingly rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Stay down, mom. You look like crap."

A frown settled between her eyebrows. She really didn't like how Emma's choice of language rubbed off on him. "Just what a woman wants to hear, honey. I think I need to talk to your grandfather for a few Charming lessons," she answered weakly. Her voice was as raspy as sandpaper and the moment she tried to talk again, a heavy fit of coughs shook through her whole body. Regina turned to the side, not wanting to risk infecting Henry with whatever she was coming down with.

Henry waited for her to finish before he continued. "It's okay, mom. I didn't mean it like that. It's just, you really do not look good. I can stay home and..."

"No way you're skipping school, young man, I'll be right down and drive you there," Regina exclaimed in between coughs. God, why couldn't she stop coughing?

Henry mumbled something she couldn't understand. "That's already been taken care of. I called Emma and she's on her way. I just wanted to check up on you. I still don't think you should be alone. I'll go and call grandma..."

Regina shook her head. It was enough having to deal with this cold, she couldn't possibly handle Miss Ever-Hopeful-I-am-so-Happy-I-Could-Cry-Rainbows-Charming right now. She needed darkness and silence, as ironic as that sounded right now. "Don't you dare. She... She can't risk coming down with something with an infant in her house. Babies are very sensitive. No, honey. I'll be fine, I just need... sleep."

"But I should call someone..." Henry insisted. "Do you want me to call Robin Hood?"

It took all the power she had to raise her hand and cup his cheek with it. Her son was one of the sweetest, most thoughtful and caring people she knew. She was so glad to have him back, so glad their relationship was stronger than ever. Henry really cared for her, which made her heart swell with pride.

"No, I don't want him to worry. Roland's been sick the whole past week and he's had trouble enough. I'll be fine, my little prince. Now go to school and be good. You'll see, I'll be down and better once you get home."

Her son sighed, before he nodded. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead, leaving a tingly feeling on her skin. "Fine I'll go. I got you some Tylenol and Mucinex and a bottle of water. Please promise me you’ll call someone if you start feeling worse."

"Thank you, Henry. I promise, but I don't think that will be necessary. Have fun at school." Regina's heart ached a little when her son seemed reluctant to leave her alone in her state. She forced herself to put on a smile, knowing she couldn't fool him for he always seemed to see right through her. What was it with her not being able to fool the two most important men in her life for one second? Finally, he took a deep breath, squeezing her hand.

"I'll see you later. I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Henry," she whispered. He got up and left her room. Regina waited a moment until she heard the front door close, before she rolled to the side for easier access to the medicine Henry brought her. Swallowing the pills was pure torture and Regina had to stop sipping the water when a fit of coughing rattled through her body once again.

Sleep, she needed sleep. With a heavy sigh and the last bit of her power, Regina switched the night lamp off and was caught in complete darkness. Her head was pounding heavily, the pain shooting in waves through her limp body. Hopefully the next time she woke up, she'd be feeling better.

Xxxxx

The next time Regina woke up, she felt like her body was being crushed by an invincible force. It was almost impossible to breathe freely, her whole body was burning hot with fever. She needed water, she needed something to drink and cool her fever down.

The manor was silent. The candle on her nightstand had almost burnt down completely. The maid had told her it would last until the wee hours of the morning, but one look through the tall glass windows told her it was in the middle of the night. Regina cursed herself for having used up all the water she had left in her room for cleaning herself yesterday evening and at the same time for the maid for not having refilled it. Her mother would probably fire the girl who had been working for them for only two weeks, but Regina wasn't like her mother. She would let it slip, like she did so many things when it came to the servants.

Carefully she rose, a simple action that took most of her energy. Once she was in a sitting position, Regina had to catch her breath, her chest heaving heavily, while the bed sheets and her nightgown clung to her sweaty body. What the hell was wrong with her? It hadn't been this bad when she'd gone to bed. Her mother had put if off as a simple cold, only giving into her request to stay at the manor because her father convinced Cora it wouldn't do any good to bring a sick child to the duke's castle. Cora had been rather annoyed about the fact her daughter couldn't socialize with the duke's son, but she'd reluctantly given into her husband's request to let their daughter rest. Her father always knew how she felt... and she felt sick. Incredibly sick.

If she'd only known beforehand, she could have asked her mother if she had some kind of medicine, some kind of potion in case her cold took a turn for the worse. Cora wouldn't have given her anything though. She'd tell her being sick would teach her a lesson to not go riding in the rain. That was how it worked between them, Regina was always forced to deal with the consequences of her own actions.

Regina didn't know whether it was a tear or a drop of sweat that was running down her cheek. All she knew was that if she didn't get any water soon, she'd probably die of dehydration. Her burning body was aching with every move. She kicked the blankets away, surprised at how heavy they were.

If she could only make it to the stairs, she could ring the bell to the servants' quarters and the maid would come for her. It wasn't far - just out of her room and down the hall - but to Regina it felt like a lifetime away. There was not much time to debate what she should do. She felt worse with every second.

The young girl took a few deep breaths, a fit of coughing ripping through her body, causing her to close her eyes and hug her arms around her body. Tears were streaming down her face. God, what was happening? What did she do to deserve this? Was it not enough her mother punished her with magic every time she did something wrong? Did her own body have to betray her now, too?

Regina swallowed, her throat and mouth as dry as the straw in the stables. She had to get up now. If not now, she wouldn't make it to the stairs at all tonight. She wiped the sweat and tears off her face with the hem of her sleeve and used the nightstand as support to stand up. Her legs were shaking, her vision blurred for a moment, fearing they would give away and make her fall to the ground. They didn't. It took her a few moments to steady them - she could do this, she just had to get across her room to the door without falling.

Carefully, Regina took the holder of the candle into her hand, making her way over to the door. Her feet felt heavy - every step was as if one of her feet was stuck deeply in mud and she had to pull them out first before being able to make the step. Whether minutes or hours had passedby the time she finally reached the tall white doors she didn't know. All she knew was that she was exhausted and close to a breakdown. Everything felt like it was pulling her to the ground - her long hair, her sweaty nightgown, the blood in her veins. Perhaps it would be easier to crawl but she was sure she would never be able to bring up the power to stand back up once she was on her knees.

The way down the hallways to the stairs would take her even more of her energy. If she were to call out now, was it possible that anyone would hear her? Probably not. The servants were sleeping, some of them drunk off their asses, something they did when her father and mother were gone overnight. They always threw some kind of party or feast down in the kitchen, celebrating the absence of the Dragon (her mother) from the house. Sometimes she wondered if Cora knew how much the servants despised her. It was very much likely. Regina couldn't blame them, really. Neither for despising the lady of the house nor celebrating their night off.

If she had not felt so sick, she would have probably snuck out to the stables to meet Daniel tonight, or maybe... maybe she'd have invited him here. Not up to her room of course, but the library or the study room perhaps. They could have had tea and snuck some treats from the kitchen while the celebrating servants turned a blind eye on her. Maybe they would have shared another kiss...

Her face felt hot, but for entirely different reasons now. Daniel had kissed her for the first time at the stables two nights ago, after beating her in the race to the stables. They'd been wet from the rain, hyped up from the race and he'd claimed the kiss as the prize for beating her. Regina's stomach fluttered. It'd been her first kiss and it had just been like she'd always imagined it. All she could think about now whenever she had a minute to herself was when he was going to kiss her again and when they maybe would take... the next step. A gasp escaped her mouth. She shouldn't think such scandalous thoughts. It was completely inappropriate for a girl her age and whatever she had with Daniel was still so very new and scaring... If her mother found out she was falling in love with their stable boy, she would probably be furious. They had to take things slow and be very careful, otherwise...

The muffled shattering of glass ripped her out of her thoughts. What the hell was that? Was someone up here, in her parent's bedroom? It couldn't be one of the servants, they were strictly forbidden to enter the room except for the hour right after breakfast to change the sheets and make the bed. Her mother didn't like people sniffing around, and this included her own daughter. Regina had made this discovery at the young age of five, the scar on her upper lip a constant reminder of the day she'd found the hidden passage way to Cora's vault where she kept lots of funny things a five-year-old wouldn't know what to do with.

The shattering was followed by a muffled hiss, which made Regina shudder. Her gaze drifted from the stairs a few steps back to where the door to her parent's room was. Should she go back and check or call for the maid? She should go for the water, knew her body was close to its limit, but her curiosity won the battle. There was someone in her parent's room and she'd find out what was going on.

One hand onto the wall for support, the other one holding the nearly burnt down candle, she slowly made her way over to her parent's bedroom. Her breaths became heavier with every step and her vision started to blur. Please no. It had been a mistake, she knew it as soon as she opened the door and walked inside. Her body lost the battle against the sickness the second she let go of the door. The last thing she saw before her legs gave away in exhaustion was a tall figure with dark clothing right in front of her mother's dressing table. Then everything went black.

_Three minutes ago..._

"Dammit John, I told you not to touch anything!" Robin whispered annoyed, walking over to his friend to shove the rest of the shards under the bed. "We are here for the jewelry and not china!"

He knew it'd been a bad idea to bring John along.  His friend possessed many talents, but the young man was anything but graceful when it came to breaking into a house. John had already had problems when it came to climbing up the ivy ranks on the outside wall of the house and he'd almost fallen down when they climbed through the window. Yes, as much as he loved his friend, next time John would be the lookout and he'd take Much for the break in. Not everyone could be as experienced as himself.

John grumbled an apology to Robinwho sighed in defeat. "It's alright mate. The lord and lady of the house are gone and I doubt anyone's heard us. You saw the servants getting drunk down in the kitchens. Just make sure you're more careful next time. Now, let's check the room for any jewelry and stuff we can sell to fill your stomach with more than the skinny partridges from the king's forest."

"You know me too well, Robin." While John made his way over to the closet, Robin walked to the dressing table, grinning when he found a jewelry box. It was locked, but this was no problem for the Prince of Thieves. Locks of any kind were his specialty.

He was about to bend down and take one of the hair needles to start working on the box, when he could see the door opening behind him in the reflection of the mirror. Shit! They’d been caught! Robin jumped around, John already on his way to the window they climbed through, when the young woman who entered the room made two steps before she fell to the floor. The candle in her hand fell onto the carpet, which to Robin's horror, caught fire immediately. The young woman didn't move.

"Shit! John! The fire!" He ran over to her, quickly stepping onto the flames, which were put out in no time. Thank God the carpet had only just caught the flames. Fire was dangerous, especially in heavy carpeted and stuffed buildings like these. Once one room caught, it was almost impossible to stop it. The young woman on the floor had been lucky, too, since her nightgown had been close to the flames.

"Come on, Robin, we have to leave," John urged his friend, the dark sack with the stolen goods already thrown over his shoulder. They couldn't risk anyone else catching them. For some reason, the woman was knocked out on the floor, which left them enough time to take their things and leave the place.

Robin knew his friend was right. They should leave and he would have, if he hadn't taken one more look at the woman on the floor. The moon was shining bright through the windows of the manor, one of the reasons why they'd decided tonight would be a good night to rob the family living in here. She looked young, fifteen, maybe sixteen. Her eyes were closed, but her face was wet with drops of sweat running down her forehead into her thick black curls. Curiosity got the better of him. Robin knelt down, wiping her face, shocked at how hot she was. This was not good.

"Robin, now's not a good time to ogle. We have to leave, before..."

"Something's wrong with her. She's sick, John. She's burning hot, she needs help," Robin mumbled, being quick to pick up her limp body and carry her over to the overlarge bed. She was small, lightweight and soaked in sweat. Why was she not in her bed where she belonged?

"Robin, we're about to get caught, we cannot..." John pushed, but his friend shook his head.

"You go ahead and inform Alan and Much. I'll make sure she is alright."

"You can't be serious!" the other man hissed, but Robin's head snapped up, his eyes blinking in the moonlight.

"She's an innocent woman who needs our help, John," he argued.

John shook his head. "Do you really think now's the best time to make up some honorable code for saving damsels in distress? Her parents have enough money to send for a doctor in the morning while others don't even have enough food to survive the next winter. You wanna be honorable? Last week you talked about stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor. Now you want to risk getting caught because you help her?What's it gonna be, Robin?"

"I know she's rich, but it doesn't seem like she has anyone else at the moment. She needs my help now. You go, I will stay to make sure she is okay. Now leave!"

"You're a fool, Robin," John muttered, before he climbed out the window.

Robin turned back to the woman lying on the sheets, shocked to see she was shivering heavily. Without thinking, he ripped the next best piece of linen apart he could reach, then wet it with water from the bottle on his hip to wipe her face.

The whimper she let out when the cool cloth touched her face was almost heartbreaking. "It's gonna be okay," he whispered soothingly, "I promise."

As if on cue her eyes fluttered open, rolled back and fluttered shut again. A fit of coughing ripped through the silence, followed by groans of pain.

This time he could make out a tear escaping the corner of her eye, making him wish there was something more he could do to help her. The way she was lying on the bed, the droplets of sweat on her forehead shimmering like tiny little diamonds in the moonlight gave her appearance the faintest hint of a tragic beauty. There was a long healed scar on her upper lip, which came more into view when her features scrunched up in a painful expression. Why would her parents - he figured she must be the daughter by the expensive nightgown she was wearing - leave her alone if she was sick like this?

"Wa..." she whispered, her eyes still shut.

Robin leaned down, his ear closer to her face so he could hear what she was whispering.

"Say it again, lovely. I couldn't hear you."

"Wa... Water. Water pl.. lease." Her eyes fluttered open once again and Robin didn't hesitate to help her upper body lean up so she could drink out of his bottle. She drank way too hastily, some of the water dripping down the sides to her chin and from there onto her chest.

Robin held the bottle away so she could catch a breath, but she shook her head, her eyes pleading for more. He gave into her wishes, but again, she drank too hastily, choking on the water. Regina's coughs rattled through the silence like thunder. The intruder let her down gently, wiping her face with the wet cloth once again.

"We need something to soothe your fever. You're burning hot."

She didn't answer, her breath coming out in hollow huffs. He needed more water to cool her overheated body down. The moment an arrow with a rope attached hit right into one of the wooden bedposts, he could have laughed out loud with joy. Sometimes he really wondered how lucky he'd been to be blessed with amazing friends like John, Alan and Much.

Quickly, the young man rushed over to the window. It was John who was standing under the window, a bucket of water in his hand, which was fastened to the rope. "Thought you might need that!" He said just loud enough for Robin to hear. Apparently Robin had changed John's mind when it came to helping the innocent woman.

Robin pulled the bucket up, careful not to let too much splash out of it down onto John who hissed in annoyance. He chuckled, before he was able to reach the handle and heave it over the windowsill, mouthing a quiet "Thank you my pal!" to his friend on the ground. Now it was time to take action. The young woman must have fallen back to sleep because she didn't respond when he came back to the bed to rip the linen sheet further apart.

Very carefully, he brushed her nightgown just above her knees so he had free access to her calves. Her skin looked creamy in the moonlight, slim and delicate. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The moonlight made her look fragile, her features soft. She was stunning, in every way and Robin could see she was strong. This woman was a fighter. He swallowed, banning every inappropriate thought from his mind. She was sick and she needed help. John was right, he should stop dwelling on her beauty and get a grip on things.

The calf pressings didn't take him long. Hearing Regina's relieved sigh was more than enough for him to know they were doing their job. Robin also put a wet cloth onto her forehead before he made his way over to the dressing table once again. There must be something here to soothe her tense body. These people were rich and if there was one thing rich women couldn't live without, next to jewelry, it was oils and essentials.

Robin opened a few of the bottles, scrunching his nose at some of the smells. He'd almost given up hope, when he found the little violet bottle with peppermint oil - at least he hoped that was what it was. He remembered his mother rubbing it onto his chest whenever he was sick because of its cooling and refreshing abilities. It wasn't hard to come by, so her mother surely wouldn't miss it. The peppermint oil would help with her fever at least until the morning when a maid could call for the doctor.

It worried him to feel the calf pressings he'd just applied a few moments ago were burning hot. He changed them once again, washing his hands clean in the bucket of water, before finally getting to the peppermint oil. This was going to be a long night.

Robin carefully swiped the long strands of her hair away, pulling at one of the strings of the nightgown to expose her chest. He was very careful to only brush the fabric so far away so she was still decently covered. Finally, he sprinkled three drops of the oil onto her chest and started rubbing soothing circles.

She flinched at his touch, her eyes suddenly white open and blinking with fear. "What... are you doing?" Her voice wasn't more than a silent whisper.

"It's peppermint oil. It'll help cooling down your body. Close your eyes and try to rest. I've got you."

Regina was too weak to put up a fight with the stranger. The smell of the peppermint oil calmed her down and made it a little easier to breathe. She sighed in exhaustion and closed her eyes, thankful for the intruder of her home who for some reason cared enough to stay and help her.

Xxxxx

The next time she woke, was to a hand soothingly rubbing her chest with something that smelt an awful lot like menthol. She coughed, then opened her eyes, blinking to the dimmed light of her night lamp.

"Shhh, it's just me," she heard a familiar voice say, the soothing rubs on her chest continuing.

"Robin...?"

"Henry called me. He wanted someone to check up on you. He's worried."

"He shouldn't have," she mumbled. "What... what about Roland?"

Robin chuckled. "John's got him. Now close your eyes and get some rest, my love. I've got you." He pressed a kiss to her heated forehead, wiping away the sweaty strands of hair with his thumb. Once again Regina closed her eyes and fell back into a dreamless slumber.

Xxxxx

It was evening when she was finally able to make her way down the stairs. She'd showered and put on some fresh but comfortable clothes so she wouldn't scare Henry if he saw her weak and sick like this. Her fever had broken and she was feeling a little bit better. The Tylenol and Mucinex must have helped. For some reason she also couldn't get the faint smell of mint out of her nose.

Regina was surprised to hear voices from the kitchen. Robin and Henry were sitting on the counter, both of them eating a bowl of soup. Right... that explained the smell of mint. She could faintly remember him rubbing her chest with the cooling paste, even though she wasn't sure if it'd simply been a hallucination of her fever.

It was her soul matethat spotted her first, a light smile on his lips. "Looks like our Sleeping Beauty is awake again."

"Right now I really wish it was the Sleeping Curse and not this god damned cold. Would make things a little easier."

"I'd fight hundred dragons to wake you up again, or in this case, a very persistent virus," he answered with a goofy smile.

"Guys, please," Henry whined which made both of the adults chuckle.

Robin rounded the counter to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Thank you. Both of you."

Henry smiled at her, happy to see her back on her feet again. "We got you some chicken soup from Granny's. Would you like some?"

She nodded and sat down on the free seat while Henry was busy filling up a bowl with the soup. They ate in silence, Robin making Regina smile by resting a hand on her thigh. Henry talked a little about his day at school, before Robin caught upon her glassy eyes. He suggested it would be better for Regina to take another pill and then get some more sleep so her system could work off the rest of the cold. For a moment she wondered why she didn't argue with him, however she knew he was right and he would win anyways.

"If you want me to, I can rub your chest with menthol once more before you go to sleep and then make sure Henry goes to bed at a reasonable time. How does that sound?"

"That would be nice," Regina answered smiling. He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, before he followed her upstairs, waiting for her to lie down in the bed and remove her shirt.

His hand was cool, his eyes never leaving hers. Regina sighed, closing her eyes in exhaustion when a thought struck her mind. No, this... this couldn't, could it? She knew it hadn't been a dream but a memory. But was this really...?

"Robin...?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Have we... have we met before?"

"Is this virus causing you memory loss, Regina? Apart from the missing year in the enchanted forest, I'm pretty sure we've never met before. As I told you before, I'm quite sure I wouldn't ever forget meeting you."

"No, I mean before. Before I became the Evil Queen."

"Hmm... I don't think so. But who knows what fate had planned for us?" Robin smiled.

She frowned a little. These actions seemed so familiar to her... "Are you sure? I... I think I dreamed..."

"Maybe that's it, you dreamed it... Look, all done." He cupped her cheek lovingly, rubbing some of the menthol right under her nose to make breathing a little easier. "Now try and get some rest, my love. I'll be there when you wake up. I love you."

"Love you, too," Regina whispered, then contently closed her eyes. She was happy he was here with her, happy he cared about her. It made her heart swell and suddenly being sick wasn't so bad anymore when she had Robin to take care of her.

Robin waited for her to fall asleep while continuing to rub soothing circles on her chest. Once he was sure she was asleep, he pulled out a little violet bottle, smiling at the memory of when it's come into his possession. All of this had happened such a long time ago.

Perhaps he would tell her one day... That this meeting had been the first time he'd chosen to do the honorable thing, that she was the reason he'd developed this code he'd lived by almost his entire life. That their fates had probably been sealed the moment his younger self had kissed her on the forehead as a goodbye, a green spark of magic exchanging between them, before he left her in her parent's room after her fever had finally broken just before sun rise. Their story had begun even before either of them had known.

He smiled down on her sleeping form, kissing her on the lips once more. "I've got you, my love and this time, I'll never let you go."

 

 


End file.
